Actress Ellen Page, best known for her breakout starring role in Juno, and as Kitty Pryde AKA “Shadowcat” in the X-Men film franchise, gave a speech at the Time to Thrive conference in Las Vegas yesterday in which she publicly declared her homosexuality.

The conference is being held by the Human Rights Campaign, a pro-LGBTQ equality organization, and is focused on the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth. Page gave a heartfelt personal speech at Bally’s Hotel and Casino on Friday:

I’m here today because I am gay…and because maybe I can make a difference. To help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility.

I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission. I suffered for years because I was scared to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships suffered. And I’m standing here today, with all of you, on the other side of all that pain.

It’s weird because here I am, an actress, representing – at least in some sense – an industry that places crushing standards on all of us. Not just young people, but everyone. Standards of beauty. Of a good life. Of success. Standards that, I hate to admit, have affected me. You have ideas planted in your head, thoughts you never had before, that tell you how you have to act, how you have to dress and who you have to be. I have been trying to push back, to be authentic, to follow my heart, but it can be hard.

Here is Ms. Page’s speech in its entirety:

Nerd Bastards is delighted to support Ms. Page and her brave, bold, and inspirational declaration:

Not all heroes are in comic books, or wear uniforms or rescue people…

Sometimes, a hero can be a person in the public eye, who is not afraid to tell the world who she really is.

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